Putting together the best Verso build in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might feel a little overwhelming since almost all of Verso’s skills lend themselves to multiple different builds and playstyles. However, there is one build option that covers all your bases, with powerful skills, options for dealing with light-resistant foes, handy debuffs, and plenty of self-sustainment so Verso benefits the party instead of dragging them down.
Below, we’ve broken down the best Verso build in Expedition 33, including which weapon you should be using, along with the right Pictos and Luminas for Verso and a detailed explanation of how the build works.
Best Verso build overview
The best way to build Verso so you can get the most out of him regardless of parry proficiency — and without having to worry about a battle going out the window if you make a mistake with your rotation. This build lets Verso attack twice, sustain himself, and debuff enemies so they take more damage from him and his allies. It relies on the Dualiso and leans more heavily toward light-aligned damage. But there are lightning skills included as well, and his basic attacks with the Dualiso are strong enough to handle enemies that nullify light damage.
There are other viable builds, such as a death build that depletes Verso’s HP and uses weapons and Pictos that grant buffs with HP loss or a glass cannon build that pours everything into luck and agility. They work, but they’re risky. One badly timed dodge or parry mishap, and you’re in a rather unpleasant position. We’ve opted for this build for its self-sustaining capabilities and how it sets up enemies in ways advantageous for other party members as well, so Verso isn’t carrying everything alone.
Best weapon for Verso
Dualiso is our pick for this build.
- Element: Lightning
- Scaling: Vitality (A); Defense (B)
- Level 4 effect: Play again after base attack
- Level 10 effect: 50% increased base attack damage
- Level 20 effect: Base attack grants 4 Perfection
The nice thing about this weapon is that it’s impossible to miss. You get one for defeating Dualiste, a mandatory boss. The downside is that its base power level is lower than most other swords that Verso can use, though once you set up the right skills and Pictos, that won’t really matter.
Another bonus is that stacking your attribute points in vitality and defense means Verso’s much sturdier and won’t just keel over at the proverbial drop of a hat. Make sure to spread your stat points around, too. Vitality should, of course, get the most attention, followed by defense, but agility and luck should be nearly even with defense by the endgame.
Best skills for Verso
These are the six skills you should stick on Verso by the time you reach the mid-game, and they’ll still serve you well in the endgame, too.
- Assault Zero (essential when fighting enemies with resistance to light damage)
- Radiant Slash
- Phantom Stars
- Powerful
- Light Holder
- Berserk Slash
Don’t waste slots on recovery or marking skills, since Pictos and Luminas will have those needs covered. Defiant Strike is a popular choice, and it does deal heavy damage. However, we’ve swapped it for Berserk Slash for a few reasons. This build’s recovery function only recovers 25% of Verso’s health once per turn when he attacks a burning enemy. Defiant Strike uses 30% of his health. Five percent might not sound like much, but it can make a big difference in a tough fight. Berserk Slash is useful for potentially turning a battle around if Verso starts a turn with low health, and if your rotation gets interrupted and an enemy isn’t burning, then you end up losing health with Defiant Strike and have no way to recover it.
If you do opt for other skills before defeating the final boss of Act 2, just make sure to experiment with skills that do more than a single instance of damage. Prior to acquiring the Pictos that breaks the damage ceiling open, you’ll end up dealing less damage with one 9,999 strike than you can with a multi-hit skill.
Best Pictos for Verso
- Exposing Attack
- Energizing Attack (1 or 2)
- Combo Attack (1, 2, or 3)
You’ll almost always use a basic attack with this build, since it lets Verso attack again, and Exposing Attack reduces his target’s defense for that second turn. Energizing Attack gives Verso AP just for attacking, making it a more reliable way to keep his AP high than Energizing Start and the other Energizing Pictos, and Combo Attack lets his basic attack hit one extra time. Defenceless is a good debuff to inflict, one that everyone can benefit from. But if you’re finding that you need your team to take less damage, consider experimenting with Enfeebling Attack to reduce the foe’s power.
It’s also worth noting that, before the endgame, it doesn’t really matter if you have, for example, Exposing Attack as a Pictos choice or a Luminas. By the start of Act 3, the important thing is just having the abilities available.
Best Luminas for Verso
- Painted Power
- Healing Fire
- Augmented Aim
- Marking Shots
- Burning Shots
- Dodger
- Burn Affinity
- Recovery
- Energizing Turn
Painted Power is essential, since it lets you deal more than 9,999 damage, though you won’t acquire it until the start of Expedition 33‘s third act. Marking Shots and Healing Fire are the two other cornerstones of this build. Marking Shots lets you deal damage in Verso’s first turn and prep them to take extra damage from his basic attacks before acting again. Healing Fire restores HP when Verso attacks burning enemies, which should be pretty much a constant thing. Burning Shots helps make that constancy more likely, though bear in mind the base chance of applying burn with it is quite low.
The remaining Luminas are your standard buffs for any good build — extra AP for dodging with Dodger, HP recovery from Recovery, and extra AP when Verso’s turn begins.
How to play Verso
This role puts Verso in a sub-DPS role, but only because Maelle will almost always be dealing more damage more often. Verso’s still no pushover, though, and he’ll be dishing out plenty of damage while keeping himself healthy and full of AP.
The way a turn will go is like this. After Lune applies burn (more on that below), Verso’s first action should be using free aim to fire shots at an enemy’s weak point (or anywhere on them, if you don’t know their weak points yet). AP should be no issue with this build, but if you’re concerned about having enough, make sure to stop when Verso’s down to four AP (more, if you plan to use Phantom Stars in the next action). Then, use a basic attack. Verso will hit twice and apply defenceless, thanks to Exposing Attack, and then he can go again.
This second turn is where you’ll lean on Verso’s skills. Using Powerful sets you up to deal more damage the next time around — and this turn won’t be wasted, since Verso already applied defenceless for the next attacker to benefit from — or you can go ahead and start building perfection. Assault Zero and Radiant Slash are the best choices for boosting Verso’s rank and getting extra damage in before hitting A and S rank, though getting a perfect rating on Light Holder increases Verso’s rank automatically. Use whichever of those suits your situation, but also bear in mind that if you’re fighting foes that resist light, Assault Zero, free aim, and basic attacks are the only way for Verso to deal damage.
Once you’ve hit A or S rank and have enough AP, rely on Phantom Stars to deal the most damage. And if Verso’s HP drops, throw in Berserk Strike as a way to keep his damage output high and recover perfection in the process.
Best supporting party members for Verso
Verso shines when he’s paired with Lune, who acts as the primary burn applier for this party, and Maelle, who deals even more damage and has skills that benefit from burn as well. Lune’s Wildfire is the easiest (and cheapest) skill to use if you’re facing multiple enemies, since it hits all of them and applies three stacks of burn. Have something like Ice Lance for her as well, since Wildfire can consume two ice stains to deal additional damage. It’s also worth putting Revitalization on her when you can, for party-wide healing and (when it consumes three fire stains) a regen effect.
Maelle’s skills are less specific since Maelle + Virtuose stance + any attack equals high damage. However, it’s worth having Guard Down and Guard Up on hand to help give the party some extra advantages.
Unless you’re in a boss fight that demands absolute precision, like most of Act 3’s optional fights, it’s okay to get a bit creative and loose with your skill rotations. Sure, focusing on burn for maximum damage and recovery is ideal. But Lune’s other skills, like Crustal Crush, have high damage potential and might be more useful than prepping more burn rotations depending on the situation. Basically, just make sure to tailor your choices to what the situation at hand calls for.
